Scugog budgeting to finalize 2013 finances by February

If all goes as planned, Township will rubberstamp budget on Feb. 11

SCUGOG -- Scugog hopes to put the finishing touches on its 2013 budget by February.

Top Township officials are now beginning to crunch numbers and it's expected the public will get its first peek at next year's financial document when a draft departmental capital and operating budget is unveiled on Dec. 10.

A month later, on Jan. 14, the draft budget and business plans for 2013 will be presented to councillors and the public will have an opportunity to review the draft document on Jan. 22 during an open house at the Scugog library from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

From there, it's expected that councillors will rubberstamp the 2013 budget on Feb. 11.

Scugog has not yet made any formal announcement regarding tax hike guidelines for 2013, but councillors were warned last week the Township's budget crunch would be a little tighter next year after the Province made significant cuts to the municipality's annual funding.

Trena DeBruijn, the Township treasurer, informed councillors on Nov. 19 that Scugog's share of the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund for 2013 has been reduced by $132,800 from the $1,355,400 the municipality received in 2012.

To put it into better perspective, Ms. DeBruijn explained that the lost cash is the equivalent to 1.31-per cent of the Township's 2012 tax hike, which was 3.96-per cent.

Scugog's 2012 tax increase translated into a hike of $24.52 on the municipal portion of the tax bill for an average home valued at $319,000.